CUNA Could Reconsider Dual Membership

Outgoing CUNA President/CEO Bill Cheney told CU Times CUNA will consider future changes to its dual membership requirement that forces credit unions to join the organization in order to access league services.

“We’re going to be looking at membership. We’re going to be looking at governance. We’re going to be looking at access,” said Cheney during an interview with CU Times.

“I was very disappointed that Jim [Blaine] and State Employees’ [Credit Union] decided to disaffiliate and I certainly hope that over time they will reconsider as we look to the future and consider changes,” he added.

In February, Blaine told CU Times SECU had decided not to renew its memberships in CUNA and the leacombined $340,000 membership dues – $250,000 to CUNA and $90,000 to CCUL. Blaine said serious issues were not being addressed by both organizations.

“SECU asked that consideration be given for credit unions to have the option to separately choose between membership in CUNA and the league,” Blaine wrote in a letter to John Radebaugh, president/CEO of the Carolinas Credit Union League.

“The right to independently choose membership and to have direct representation in CUNA appears to be very much in line with our core cooperative principle – one member, one vote,” he added.

“We believe affiliation provides great mutual benefit for our organizations and are disappointed in your decision. Nonetheless, we respect your decision and appreciate the notice,” Radebaugh wrote in response.

CUNA said last month that it would modify its 2014 budget to make up for the disaffiliation of the $27 billion State Employees’ Credit Union since it occurred early in the year.

Cheney stressed that CUNA is not considering any changes because of Blaine’s concerns about the dual membership requirement.

“His [Blaine’s] peers and our executive committee are already also working on establishing a process to look at that on behalf of the entire movement but not because Jim raised the issues but because they’re issues that need to be addressed and not just those but others,” Cheney said.

Almost 20 years ago, CUNA, the leagues and credit unions went through a renewal process, Cheney said, which established a practice where every few years CUNA reviews key issues again.